The Market Stability Reserve (MSR) – A White Paper for an optimised approach

In this white paper we put forward our proposal for an optimised MSR that would enables the EU ETS to promote reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the most cost-effective and economically efficient manner.

We believe our proposed approach is able to handle a broad array of emission regimes (including high emissions scenarios) whilst preserving the integrity of the EU ETS carbon price signal.

White paper: What is the potential impact of the Trump administration on the US energy industry?

ICIS takes a closer look at how key sectors within the US energy industry were shaped by the Obama administration and what the potential market impact could be under the helm of President Donald Trump.

What's New from ICIS

ICIS Carbon Markets Almanac 2017

The ICIS Carbon Markets Almanac provides a top-level view of global efforts to combat climate change with cap-and-trade systems. For each of the different schemes worldwide, it highlights key design characteristics and includes spotlight articles discussing specific system features.

Our overarching breakout articles for 2017 include an analysis of the post-2020 carbon world and how we will get there, a discussion of President Trump’s impact on carbon trading, as well as a study on the Brexit and its effect on EU carbon and power markets.

Market Insight: Examining major factors driving the US benzene market

This Market Insight will examine some of the key factors for benzene demand in the US. The outlook for exports of styrene, a key benzene derivative, will be examined along with shifting patterns of international trade. The paper will also examine areas where derivative capacity may grow, while also touching on the economics of on-purpose benzene production.

ICIS Webinar: What does the 2016 review changes mean for the RGGI market?

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) released a draft of potential program changes stemming from the 2016 review process at the end of August 2017. This webinar will dive into what the supply-side dynamics might look like in the future before discussing how these changes could impact market participant behavior. Finally, we will explain how post-2020 structure could influence the price of allowances.

Infographic: Europe Ethylene, Propylene H1 2017 Review

Pricing volatility looks set to continue as new ethane-based cracker and derivatives capacity comes on line in the US from the second half of 2017. This can be challenging for Europe’s olefins as they become more susceptible to global market developments.

This ICIS infographic reviews key developments in the European olefins landscape during the first half of 2017, as well as production and trade data for ethylene, and polymer grade propylene (PGP) spot price evolution.

The first half of 2017 was characterised by three digit swings in the monthly contract reference price with a record adjustment in February when it was agreed up by 49%. Asian demand had strengthened partly on the back of demand from the Chinese auto industry in particular because of expiring tax incentives.

This and the realisation that the concentration of planned cracker and BD unit turnarounds in Europe would likely heavily constrain Europe's supply, sent prices soaring.

Infographic: Asia methanol imports soar in 2016 as US and Europe slide

The world’s methanol market is shifting, with the growth of methanol-to-olefins in Asia dramatically impacting global dynamics.

Pricing dynamics are increasingly influenced by Asia and especially China. The growing amount of Chinese methanol-to-olefins (MTO) plants consume large quantities of methanol, as long as the price is right.

Infographic: Looking back at a challenging year for PO derivatives

The European propylene oxide (PO) market has experienced continued tightness this year, which has seen a spike in the price of downstream derivatives such as propylene glycol ethers and monopropylene glycol prices (MPG).

This ICIS infographic reviews the underlying causes of tightness in PO and explores the supply challenges that could lie ahead, despite new capacity coming onstream.

Market Insight: Asian Polyurethane

With new Sadara start-ups, unexpected plant disruptions and an influx of downstream flexible slabstock grade of polyols in Asia’s polyurethane markets, the trading dynamics in southeast Asia and South Korea have become more volatile.

Download the free White Paper explaining how these developments in Asia have impacted on the southeast Asian and South Korean markets.

China Gas and LNG Webinar

ICIS will be hosting a webinar to address China’s role in the broader LNG market as well as examining the opaque link between China’s LNG imports and pricing in the domestic market. In addition, the session will provide an insight into how LNG and gas pipeline infrastructure is developing and which companies are becoming more important in this growing market.

Saudi Arabia’s Sadara Chemical Co announced its long-awaited entry into the polyether polyols supply chain recently in a relatively low-key affair. In this paper, ICIS studies the impact of the debutant in the Middle East polyols industry on prices since the official announcement, highlighting the limited impact seen so far in what is widely considered to be a well-supplied segment.

Free Infographics: China’s benzene and toluene capacities

China has gained a strong foothold in the Asian aromatics markets, particularly for benzene and toluene, through increasing plant capacities. ICIS has produced an infographic detailing the plant capacities of the key producing companies in the country. Download the infographic now to get a clearer picture of China’s involvement in the Asian aromatics markets and anticipate the implications of this in H2 2017.

ICB Special Edition - Market Insights & Expertise

We are proud to present this special issue of ICIS Chemical Business containing a selection of new and updated ICIS white papers and infographics. These articles showcase some of best of ICIS editorial expertise from all geographic regions and cover many of the most important chemical value chains.

We describe and analyze short, medium and long-term market trends with the help of static and interactive maps, graphs and diagrams.

Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) buyers in Europe are expecting to have more choice in product supply in the coming months, as new capacities come on stream in North America, India and China. There is still some upward pricing pressure in August, however, and much of the market is expecting sellers to attempt to push prices higher in September. The strong euro means more imports, but higher prices in Asia are attracting product eastwards.

Find out more about upcoming new capacity in senior editor Linda Naylor’s latest insight article.

Trading of the spread between Belgian Zeebrugge and British NBP Day-ahead natural gas contracts - known as the basis - has shown signs of recovery at the start of August after being at historic lows during July, data shows.

ICIS market reporter, Alex Thackrah, looks at the key pricing and fundamental factors which have shaped trading of the basis in the past few weeks, and analyses why this summer’s trading patterns are so different to previous years.

ICIS White Paper: Supply conditions still drive Americas base oils

This base oil White Paper addresses the first half of 2017. It discusses the background that set the market on edge with tight supply, mainly in the Americas and in Europe. Base oil global production is ample, making tight supply a surprise in 2017. ICIS senior editor Judith Taylor sets out the events that led to the tight supply situation – still lingering in the second half of 2017 – and the price changes that took place.

ICIS European Chemicals Mid-Year Outlooks and Videos

It has been a challenging start to the year for a number of key petrochemical products. Some markets have moved from volatility to stability over the last six months, and players are questioning what the rest of 2017 may bring. ICIS has published a series of outlooks, examining supply and demand expectations for the third quarter.

View the latest video interviews and read the market outlooks in which the olefins, aromatics, polyolefins and titanium dioxide (TiO2) editors provide an insight into what to expect in the coming months.

The European titanium dioxide (TiO2) market has seen extreme swings in price and supply over some years now.

Due to the price pressure and recent European Chemical Agency (ECHA) recommendation to classify TiO2 as a category 2 carcinogen, when inhaled, there is an underlying drive for buyers to reduce their TiO2 content and explore substitution possibilities. However, while this may be an option, technical limitations apply and there is an underlying need for a period of stability where economic sustainability is supported through the chain for the sake of the whole industry.

ICIS white paper: German natural gas hub unification

ICIS sheds light on plans to merge Germany’s two natural gas hubs – NCG and GASPOOL - within five years and the issues that will dominate the market ahead of unification. Parallels to France where a full merger is also taking place are likely to be a useful guide on how smooth the transition could be, although a number of German-specific developments are likely to impact both the process and outcome of the hub unification.

China remains one of the most influential players across the globe; changes in supply, demand and prices have a substantial impact on regional and global markets. What are the factors driving the Chinese oil and refining and are we expecting this trend to continue in second half of the year?

Download this free White Paper for an in-depth analysis of prices, supply, demand and production in the country, as well as a snapshot of where the industry is headed in the second half of the year.

Special feature: China LNG & Gas H1 Market Review 2017

China remains one of the most influential players across the globe; changes in supply, demand and prices have a substantial impact on regional and global markets. What are the factors driving the Chinese gas and LNG markets and are we expecting this trend to continue in second half of the year?

Download this free White Paper for an in-depth analysis of prices, supply, demand and production in the country, as well as a snapshot of where the industry is headed in the second half of the year.

The wave of new ethylene production arriving in the US market rippling through the downstream markets has facilitated a deal between Resin Technology and Emeraude. The article examines what the worst- and best-case scenarios could be during the negotiations.

Download the Focus article written by ICIS senior editor manager Bill Bowen to find out more about the emerging deal.

Infographic: Why natural gas stocks in Europe are low in summer 2017

European storage sites entered the gas summer on 1 April with depleted stocks due to a cold winter, and high prompt prices have discouraged shippers from replenishing these stocks.

This infographic looks at the levels of gas in store, the price spreads which have contributed to the low levels and the injections needed to replenish sites by the beginning of the gas winter on 1 October.

LNG Summer series: Qatari LNG supply chain pivotal to NBP direction

Throughout the summer, ICIS will be looking at how the LNG market impacts European hub prices. In the first of the series, Thomas Rodgers examines LNG’s influence on Europe’s oldest gas market – Britain’s NBP.

However, the supply chain rarely leads to dramatic price moves as the market is constantly weighing up the chance of Qatari LNG coming to Britain and pricing it in.

Chemical Profile: Middle East Base Oils

The base oils market in the Middle East is increasingly of interest to market players globally. Upcoming capacity within the region has not only an impact on tradeflows across markets, but is also slated to impact prices in key regions.

Read the latest chemical profile by senior editor manager, Veena Pathare, which provides an overview of uses, technology, supply/demand and prices for Middle East base oils to help you make more informed business decisions.

UK polyethylene price volatility might have been expected post the Brexit referendum. The value of sterling plunged once the outcome was known. And the pound has been volatile since.

This insight piece put together by leading ICIS editors Nigel Davis and Linda Naylor, who presented at a British Plastics Federation (BPF) Brexit conference, discusses the recent differential between the UK and EU polymer prices, and highlights the areas of uncertainty facing the plastics industry before the divorce settlement with the EU is agreed.

Sulphuric acid supply is expected to remain globally short until the first quarter of 2018 because of a heavy fourth quarter smelter turnaround schedule. Spot prices have increased tightly during the second quarter as buyers turn to the typically more expensive burned sulphuric acid due to the lack of smelter sulphuric acid on the market. The increased reliance on burned sulphuric acid, which is largely being sourced from China, has had a knock-on effect on upstream sulphur prices.

Winter contracts slump hits NBP and TTF gas liquidity

Trade on the Dutch TTF and British NBP natural gas hubs dropped year on year in June for the third consecutive month, broker and exchange data collated by ICIS showed.

ICIS looks at the key fundamental reasons why liquidity at Europe’s two largest gas hubs declined, including low price volatility, issues at Britain’s Rough storage site and production caps at the Netherlands’s Groningen field.

Market Insight: Europe Styrene - From Volatility To Stability?

The European styrene market faced some dramatic price movements during the first quarter of this year, with a strong upward trend that started in November 2016. This was followed by sharp drops in April and May. After the sudden and severe price fluctuations during most of the first half of the year, styrene players are more optimistic and confident that the market might have entered a period of stability.

Read this market insight from markets editor Vasiliki Parapouli to understand what's happening in the European styrenics market.

In this insight Nigel Davis, ICIS Insight editor, reviews Europe’s economic performance in spite of uncertainties surrounding how Britain will exit the European Union which weighs heavily on the markets.